It’s hard to notice how blessed you really are unless someone points it out or you are intentionally thinking about it. When you are not reminded of it often and don’t think about it intentionally, it’s can be easy to fall into an attitude of jealousy. In a country of capitalism and the American dream, it’s no wonder that we have become a materialistic society. We say things like “If I could just get a nicer car,” and “once I have a house I’ll be able to…” but the truth is that things never satisfy. Enough is never enough in the world’s standards because there is always more to be had.
I’ve caught myself in that spiral of thinking before and it was very unhealthy. I would see someone driving a nicer car and start to really covet it. I would visit someone with an immaculate house and suddenly feel like my house wasn’t big enough. I’d see friends with free tickets to games and be jealous of them and wonder why that kind of thing never seemed to happen to me.

When my focus was on all the stuff of the world, I lost sight of what I was already blessed with. I have two vehicles that run great for my wife and me. I have a safe, warm place for my family to live that is more than enough for us. I have a wife and kids that love me more than anything. I have a mom that still cares about me even though I’m ‘out on my own’. I have a community that comes along side of me no matter what is going on in my life. I have a job that gives me the means to provide for my family. I am not entitled to any of these things, but God has blessed me with them all.

I’ve found that when I have an attitude of entitlement, blessings don’t flow as freely and I’m blinded to the blessings I have by thinking that they just what I’ve done for myself. When my attitude is of gratefulness for the blessings God has given me, it seems as though more blessings flow. Ever since my accident last month, I have had an attitude of gratefulness. I may not have always shown it because I’m not perfect, but it’s been there. Throughout the next month, there were some trying times, but they were also full of blessings that I would not have noticed if my attitude were different. Even now, the blessings continue to flow as I am recognizing that they are all from God. Rather than being jealous, I am excited to be a part of the lives of my friends as they experience blessings as well.

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.